CQC rates Trafford Council adult social care as ‘Requires Improvement’

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Trafford Council as Requires Improvement in its assessment of how the local authority is meeting its responsibilities for adult social care under the Care Act 2014.

The assessment considered nine areas across four themes, with Trafford receiving scores of two out of four in seven areas. Partnership and communities, and learning, improvement and innovation, both received scores of three.

CQC found that people were generally happy with the assessment process and the services and support they received, but identified areas where improvements were needed.

People were not always able to access equipment and minor adaptations to their homes quickly enough, while some faced long waits for occupational therapy assessments. CQC said this could affect people’s independence and their ability to remain living at home. Trafford Council had introduced an action plan to address the issues, which was already showing some improvement.

The regulator also identified mixed experiences among unpaid carers. While some received compassionate assessments, others reported difficulties finding information or accessing an assessment. Carers also wanted greater support with contingency planning and more respite options.

CQC found that people moving from children’s to adult services could find the transition confusing. The council was taking action to improve these pathways, including establishing a dedicated transitions team.

Improvements were also needed in safeguarding, where roles and responsibilities for identifying and responding to concerns were not always clear. However, changes had been made and CQC found that delays in the process had reduced.

There were positive findings within the assessment. Trafford Council’s review and transformation programme had started to deliver improvements, including shorter waits for assessments, while staff spoke positively about recent changes in leadership and culture.

The council was also working closely with NHS partners, with a pilot project showing early signs of reducing hospital admissions and supporting people with complex needs through greater collaboration between teams and services.

CQC said leaders were aware of the areas requiring improvement and had plans and strategies in place to address them. Staff and leaders were also using audits and thematic reviews to identify weaknesses, with targeted training introduced where gaps in skills and literacy had been identified.

Stay informed with the stories shaping health and social care.